RYANODINE RECEPTORS Meaning and
Definition
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Ryanodine receptors are a type of calcium channel protein found in various cells, including muscle cells, that play a critical role in regulating calcium release from intracellular stores. These receptors are named after the plant alkaloid ryanodine, which is a potent and specific activator of these channels.
Ryanodine receptors are primarily located in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of muscle cells, where they are involved in excitation-contraction coupling, a process that allows muscle fibers to contract in response to nerve stimulation. In skeletal muscle cells, these receptors are responsible for the release of calcium ions from the SR into the cytoplasm, triggering muscle contraction. In cardiac muscle cells, ryanodine receptors are crucial for regulating the release of calcium ions during each heart beat, which is vital for proper heart function.
These receptors are composed of multiple subunits and have a complex structure. They consist of a large channel pore that opens in response to specific stimuli, allowing calcium ions to flow out of the SR into the cytoplasm. The opening and closing of ryanodine receptors is tightly regulated by various factors, including voltage changes across the membrane, concentrations of calcium and other ions, and interaction with other proteins.
Dysfunction or mutations in ryanodine receptors can lead to serious medical conditions, including skeletal muscle disorders, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart failure. Understanding the function and regulation of ryanodine receptors has significant implications for the development of therapeutic interventions aimed at modulating calcium signaling and treating associated pathologies.
Common Misspellings for RYANODINE RECEPTORS
- eyanodine receptors
- dyanodine receptors
- fyanodine receptors
- tyanodine receptors
- 5yanodine receptors
- 4yanodine receptors
- rtanodine receptors
- rganodine receptors
- rhanodine receptors
- ruanodine receptors
- r7anodine receptors
- r6anodine receptors
- ryznodine receptors
- rysnodine receptors
- rywnodine receptors
- ryqnodine receptors
- ryabodine receptors
- ryamodine receptors
- ryajodine receptors
- ryahodine receptors
Etymology of RYANODINE RECEPTORS
The word "Ryanodine" in "Ryanodine Receptors" is derived from the name of the plant source from which the compound was originally extracted. The plant is called Ryania speciosa, a shrub native to South America, particularly Brazil. The compound ryanodine was first isolated from this plant in 1948 by American pharmacologist Julian Sydney Green, who named it after the plant. Later, ryanodine was found to interact with a specific type of receptor, now known as ryanodine receptors, which are key calcium ion channels in various cells, including muscle and nerve cells.
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